


Tenderness

by pandorabox82



Category: Criminal Minds, In Plain Sight
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-11
Updated: 2018-04-26
Packaged: 2018-07-14 08:21:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 22,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7162118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorabox82/pseuds/pandorabox82
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of the Replicator, Erin and David break up. Will the woman she meets by happenstance be able to help her out of her funk?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Ugh, men suck," Erin said lowly as she stalked around the courtyard, wanting to work off some of her anger at her now decidedly ex-boyfriend.

"Not all of them." Her head shot up to look into the smiling face of an unfamiliar woman. Quickly, she looked her up and down, trying to find her badge. It was clipped to her jacket and she read the name, Eleanor Prince. "I'm Eleanor."

"Erin."

"Ah, we match. How fortuitous. Now, why do you think men suck?" She led her over to a bench beneath a leafy oak tree and they sat. There was something very comfortable about the woman, with her soft auburn hair and large brown eyes.

"My boyfriend, well, ex-boyfriend, he was cheating on me. With someone I can't even hate. She's too sweet and loving for anyone to hate her. Hence, men suck."

Eleanor nodded sympathetically. "Would you like to get a cup of coffee, perhaps? Talk it out a little more? I think it is much better to talk about our problems than to just bottle them up inside." There was something about her sweet smile that calmed Erin and she nodded, standing with her. Side by side, they walked over to the closest coffee shop, and were quiet as they stood in line. "Could I get a tall black coffee, please?" she asked softly, accepting the cup from the bored looking young woman.

Erin, though, wasn't so easy. "I want a Turkish coffee." She enjoyed the way the barista's face fell, knowing that it was a very unconventional drink. The girl handed her a number without speaking another word to her and she joined Eleanor at the booth she had claimed for them. "I think I made her mad."

"But you like things complicated." Erin nodded and listened to the woman laugh gently. "I know someone that you would get along with famously, then. Too bad she lives in New Mexico."

Erin nodded as she rested her arms on the table, looking into Eleanor's eyes. "Why be ordinary when you can be more?"

"There is that. So, tell me about this sweet woman that you can't even bring yourself to hate. What's she like?"

Erin took a deep breath, thinking about Penelope and how happy she seemed with Dave. She had had no idea that they were still seeing each other, still sleeping with each other, and so she had quietly ended things with him that morning, not willing to hurt the kind woman. "She was the first person to welcome me back after I returned from rehab."

"She was kind to you, then."

"To everyone. I really don't think there is a person out there that she dislikes, once she knows them. Her heart is a thousand times too big for her body, and at times that can get her hurt. I hate to hear that she's been upset over something."

The smile that Eleanor wore changed subtly, and Erin felt her brow furrow, even as she accepted her coffee from the barista, handing over her number. "It almost sounds like you were in love with her, not your boyfriend."

Her statement took Erin aback and she picked up the small cup, sipping at the strong brew. "That's absurd. I've always been into men."

"Are you certain about that?" A hint of teasing crept into the woman's voice, but the truth that underscored her words unsettled Erin. She had never really given a second thought to her feelings, had always just assumed that she was into men. Homosexuality was not a topic that had been discussed in her home growing up, it had always been expected that she would get married to the perfect man and raise the perfect family.

"I have to be," she whispered, looking down at the table. Suddenly, she wished that she hadn't agreed to this madness, hadn't let herself open this can of worms. Eleanor reached across the table and rubbed her hand softly before squeezing it tenderly. "What about you? Any men in your life?"

"I was seeing a man when I lived in Albuquerque, but when I moved back here, the relationship fizzled. It seems like we couldn't make long distance work for us." She sighed wistfully, and Erin felt her heart lurch in her chest. "There hasn't really been anyone since. I don't think I can love a man again, not after my husband. He was the perfect match for me."

Erin nodded, even though she really had no experience with a perfect match. Looking up, she saw that a refill for her coffee had arrived and she accepted it from the barista's hands. "There was never anything perfect about me. I learned too late how to be soft and tender, and then even that bit me. I just don't know how to move on."

"Moving on is the hardest part of our lives. I don't think I've really moved all that far down the road. I still look back over my shoulder for him." Eleanor looked down into her coffee cup. "I'm sorry I'm so maudlin," she whispered as a lone tear finally rolled down her cheek. Erin had to clench her hand in order to keep from reaching out and wiping it away. Instead, she watched as more tears joined the path down her cheek.

Finally, she couldn't take it any longer. Those tears were too sad, too telling, reminding her of times she had cried just as bitterly. "Eleanor…" she whispered, waiting for her to meet her eyes. "Here, let me." Reaching out, she gently thumbed away some of those tears. The woman tried to look away from her, and Erin was the first to break eye contact, knowing just how intimate it could be to gaze into another person's eyes for too long.

"Sooo, do you want to go for a walk?" Eleanor asked shakily, picking up her cup and taking another sip.

"That would be really nice, Ellie." The nickname slipped from her lips before she realized what she had done, and the woman across from her stiffened slightly. "Sorry, I didn't…"

"You're fine. It's just, Stan used to call me that." Erin felt her cheeks redden with embarrassment, and she tried to think of a way to dig herself out of the situation. "I like being called Ellie," she whispered moments later, and their eyes met once more.

"Really?"

"Yeah." Eleanor tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and smiled shyly at her. "So, finish your coffee." Erin nodded and hurriedly drank down the last of her drink before slipping out of the booth and holding her hand out to Eleanor.

She took it without hesitation, and Erin felt her heart lurch a little at the feeling of rightness that swept over her. "This is going to sound really out of the blue, but, would you like to head back to my place, so I can make us supper?"

There was no hesitation in her answer, something that startled Erin. "Yes, I would very much like that. After our walk."

"All right, I can handle that." Taking a deep breath, she clenched the soft hand in hers and led her out into the fall sunshine.


	2. Chapter 2

"Does your scar bother you?"

Erin stiffened slightly and tried not to pull away from Eleanor. She didn't like talking about her scar, about the way Curtis had nearly destroyed her. "Honestly?" Looking out of the corner of her eye, she saw Eleanor nod and she sighed. "Yes. I hate it. I hate that he marked me like that. I hate that it drove a wedge between me and David, that it drove him into the arms of someone else. I hate it."

Eleanor stopped her next to a huge oak tree and pulled her into a tight hug. "You overcame something that few of us have been through. You are allowed to hate him, to hate it. Have you talked to anyone about your experience?"

"Does everyone know, then?" she whispered, blinking back tears.

"Yes. Your name is talked about with awe in my office. And I know why you chose to head White Collar Crimes. You couldn't be hurt again." Erin nodded, dragging her chin against Eleanor's shoulder. "And it is perfectly okay to cry."

The floodgates opened and she sobbed on Eleanor's shoulder, listening to her whisper in her ear that she would be all right, that everything would work out. And then she felt soft lips press against her cheek. That seemed to break through her sorrow and she drew in a long, shuddering, breath. "Thank you."

"You needed it. Let's head back and grab our cars now. I'll follow you home."

"All right." This time, it was Eleanor who clasped her hand, threading their fingers together. "Ellie?"

"Yes, Erin?"

"Do you think I'll ever move on?" It was a tender question, one that hung on the air, quivering with uncertainty and fear.

"Yes. I think you're doing that right now." She nodded and squeezed her hand. And then she noticed how well their hands matched, their fingers long and elegant. "I like your hands, too."

She blushed at being caught out and nodded absently. "That's always been the first body part I've fallen in love with. Smiles are nice, eyes are beautiful, but hands are exquisite works of art. They caress and hold and…" Erin realized she was telling Eleanor something she had never revealed to anyone else, and she wondered what had compelled her to speak so.

"I understand. There's something special about hands." They continued to walk on, heading back to the parking garage. "I fall in love with eyes first. That's what drew me to John. He had the most expressive eyes. Like yours, there was this light behind them, something that the sorrows and hurts and madness of life couldn't touch."

Her admission was just as sweet and Erin felt herself relax once more, swinging their hands a little as they went along. "I have three children. My youngest graduates from high school this year. I can't believe how time has flown."

"We, we were never blessed with children." There was a soft wistfulness in her voice, and Erin could read between the words to know that there had been failed pregnancies, countless nights spent crying over the fact her period had come.

"I lost two pregnancies, early on in our marriage. When I finally got past the fifth month with Karen, I accepted it as real. I've always had a hard time bonding with her as a result. I wish I could have changed that, but, at least I got a second and third chance. Maybe, I could invite them over for supper sometime?"

She mentally kicked herself for being so forward, though she was relieved to hear Eleanor softly laugh beside her. "That sure I'm going to be a repeat visitor to your home?"

"Maybe," she replied quickly, trying not to focus on her blush. "I tend to think of the future, a lot. I plan."

"I'm a planner, too." They stopped for the light, and Eleanor rested her head on Erin's shoulder. A tiny smile crept over Erin's face as she became used to the heavy weight on her shoulder. "And I like feeling free enough to be affectionate. I haven't found anyone that I'm comfortable enough with here yet to do this."

"That's one thing that I learned while I was recovering. How to be comfortable with other people. I used to be more uptight, more unforgiving. I couldn't live like that anymore." Eleanor nodded before stealing another quick kiss to her cheek. "If you keep doing that, I'll think we're a little more than friends."

"Hmm, that is a bit of a conundrum, isn't it?" she asked as they made their way across the street. "Perhaps you could think about that on your way home."

"Perhaps." She let go of Eleanor's arm, turning to where her car was parked. "I'm in the green Jaguar, I'll wait for you on the street." Eleanor smiled and nodded. "Good." Leaning in, she brushed her cheek against the other woman's. "I'll try to drive slowly."

"I would appreciate that." They parted and Erin sighed as she unlocked her car door and settled behind the wheel. Things were moving so fast, but for once she didn't mind the quickness of attraction.

She pulled out into traffic, and then across to the parking lane to wait for Eleanor. She was soon at the exit and Erin began to drive, making sure to use her turn signals as she went. Her drive seemed to double in length as she thought about how far she was willing to let things go. Yes, she had an attraction to Eleanor, but did that really mean that she was gay? She had spent more than half her life with men, even if they hadn't always been the most fulfilling of partners. And all it had taken was one question from a new friend to make her rethink everything about her life. It really was a bit mad, when she thought about it.

And yet, there was a small, still, voice in the back of her mind that whispered about all the times she had fantasized about her best friend, about Penelope, about other women in her life. She had tried to bury those thoughts, but they always returned, unbidden, to haunt her. And here was Eleanor, sending out signals that she wouldn't be opposed to having a relationship with her. It bothered her how easily her brain was falling into the pattern of a relationship, she had never been like that before Curtis had come back into her life.

Letting out another sigh, she turned onto her street and smiled when her house came into view. "I hope she likes it," she whispered, glancing into the rearview mirror, making sure Eleanor was still there. Pulling into her drive, she pressed the button on her garage door opener before parking in her spot.

She had to get out, to walk off some of the nerves that were rapidly turning her stomach to knots. Eleanor parked behind her and popped out of the car, quickly coming up to her side, and wrapping her arm around Erin's waist. "You drive like my mother."

"You told me to drive slowly."

"I did, but you could have taken things a little faster."

"Why, is that how you like things? Fast and over before they've begun?"

Eleanor met her eyes then, and she shied away from the gaze, feeling herself tear up once more. Really, she was being a fool to think that this would turn into something like love. "No, Erin. I've just reached a point in my life where I know what I want."

"And what do you want?"

"A relationship. I miss companionship." Erin watched the woman's lips turn up in a wry smile. "I know, it's probably a little forward of me, but I'm going to do this anyway." She closed the distance between them and covered Erin's lips with her own, giving her a soft kiss. It felt so right, so real, and Erin sighed against her lips, not wanting the moment to end.


	3. Chapter 3

"So, what do you like to eat?" Erin asked as she set her purse on the counter. Eleanor followed suit, and then took a seat at the island in the middle of her kitchen.

"Something light. Perhaps a salad?"

"All right." Erin rummaged around in her fridge, finding the necessary ingredients for a chef's salad. It didn't take long to whip up, and she was soon setting the bowl between her and Eleanor, plating some for herself. As they ate, she found herself watching the woman, taking in the elegant line of her neck, the way her face naturally set in a smile.

"Penny for your thoughts, Erin."

"Mine aren't so cheap, Ellie. I've learned to guard them from the outside world, and that fierceness hasn't abated since I returned to the FBI." She nodded at her and Erin bit her lip. "You're beautiful."

"And so are you."

"Thank you. You know, I'd offer you a drink, but I don't keep alcohol in the house any longer. I fought that demon and won."

Tears came rushing to the forefront, and she wasn't sure if they were from embarrassment or sorrow. "That can be a very large demon." Eleanor pushed aside her plate and reached out for her hand. Erin clasped it tightly, needing the reassuring touch at the moment. "Did you have to reset your clock?"

"My sponsor said I didn't have to."

"But your heart told you something different." She nodded. "You shouldn't punish yourself for something that was far beyond your control." She rubbed her thumb over the back of Erin's hand, and she closed her eyes, letting the tears fall once more. Eleanor held up her free arm and Erin slipped off the stool and leaned against her, letting the tears out. "How long has it been since you've let yourself cry?"

"This is the first time in three months that I've let this many tears escape," she whispered, focusing on the way Eleanor's hand felt on her back, trying to find some sense of equilibrium. "I've been afraid that if I cry, really cry, I'll never stop. This afternoon hasn't really proven me wrong."

"Have you thought that perhaps you haven't healed as a result?" The question was tender, but probing, and she shrugged. "I take it that means you have thought about that. You need to talk to someone."

"I go to meetings," she said quickly.

"No, honey, I mean a professional. There is no shame in having a therapist, I spoke with one at length after John died. Do you think that I'm weak?" Erin slowly shook her head. "Well, there you go. I'll see if my therapist is taking new clients, you'll like her."

"Are you always so…"

"Pushy?" Eleanor supplied and Erin nodded. "Yes. I know what's right for people. Don't ask me how, I just do."

"And I suppose if I tell you no, you'll just steamroll over me."

"Bingo." Eleanor pushed her away slightly and then leaned in to kiss her once more. "Now, I think that we should go into your living room and watch a bit of television before I go home for the night."

"Really?"

"Yes. You need mindless entertainment, and I am not about to leave you alone, not when you're so vulnerable. It wouldn't be right."

"I suppose," she said as she took hold of Eleanor's hand and led her into the living room. The dishes could be taken care of later, she reasoned, trying not to turn right back around and put them in the washer. Instead, she brought her over to the couch and motioned for Eleanor to sit. "So, what should we watch?"

"I think there's a David Tutera marathon on WE. He's always good for a smile and a laugh. And sometimes a good cry." Erin nodded and looked up the channel before turning to it. She hesitated a moment, looking longingly at the spot next to Eleanor, wondering if she should be so bold as to sit there.

And then, the woman removed those questions by pulling her down next to her. "Ellie?"

"You were never going to sit next to me any other way." Erin shrugged before nodding. She snuggled up close to Eleanor, resting her head on her chest and listening to the beat of her heart. "You know I feel comfortable with you."

"Yes."

"I haven't felt comfortable with anyone like this since my John. And I know you're a woman, and I know that you've probably only seen guys before, just like me, but I also know that we should never ignore our feelings. If we let them flutter out of our grasp, we'll never know what could be. Please, be tender with me."

"As long as you are tender with me. I feel so discombobulated lately, like nothing makes sense in my personal life. And I don't want to rush into something that will end up with me hurting. I can't be hurt anymore."

Eleanor nodded, and Erin smiled as she felt the woman's lips press against the top of her head. "I can't make that promise, Erin. I might hurt you, even when I don't mean to do so. But I'll ask for forgiveness."

"I suppose that would be a good solution. I tend to freeze people out when I get hurt."

"Have you done that to Dave and Penelope?"

She flushed guiltily. "I have."

"You need to make that right. You can't afford to let your pain ruin friendships. You wouldn't forgive yourself if you pushed them away, right?"

Erin sighed. "Yes. God, it is going to be a pain to be your lover. You are going to force me to confront everything head on, aren't you?"

"You really need to talk to Mary Shannon about that. She would tell you how bull headed I am, and how I don't back down when I'm right. And I am very rarely wrong." Erin began to laugh a little, wrapping her arm around the other woman's lap.

"That's my line, you know. Now hush, the commercial is over." As she watched the show, she relished the feel of Eleanor's fingers slowly raking through her hair, the tugging movements lulling her into a meditative state. "Stay."

"What?"

"Stay the night. I don't want to move from this spot, I want to fall asleep in someone's arms. Be that person."

"Erin…"

"Yes, Ellie?"

"All right, I will." Erin let out a soft sound of pleasure as she softly rubbed her head against the slight swell of Eleanor's breasts. She stopped when the woman arched into her, her breath catching in her throat.

"Sorry."

"No, no, you have nothing to apologize for." She then rubbed her cheek once more against her chest before sighing softly.

"You have nice breasts."

"Thank you." They both burst into giggles and Erin smiled as she let her head rest heavily on her breasts. "You are getting really sleepy, aren't you?"

"Am I that obvious?"

"Just a little. And I don't think that sleeping on the couch will be good for you, so, come on and get up. You need to show me your bedroom."

Erin nodded before stretching and standing up. Eleanor held up her hand, and Erin clasped it, pulling her to her feet. "Follow me."

"Wherever you lead."


	4. Chapter 4

Erin woke up the next morning feeling more rested than she had in months. Stretching, her hand brushed against the warm flesh of another body and the previous day's events came rushing back to the forefront of her mind. "Good morning, Ellie," she whispered, leaning in to brush her lips against the other woman's.

"What a wonderful way to wake up, Erin." She smiled and kissed her once more. "Can a girl expect morning after breakfast even if we didn't have sex?"  
She blushed a little and nodded. "Um, if you want, you can pick out something to wear from my closet. I'm sure that something will fit you." She was starting to feel nervous, and she wondered if Eleanor regretted staying the night.

"Hey, don't think those thoughts," she said lowly, sitting up and bundling Erin close to her. "I am not having any regrets, I promise you. Now, I am going to kiss you again and you are going to like it."

"Yes, Ellie." She tilted her head up and waited for the woman to kiss her. It wasn't what she expected, as Eleanor bypassed her lips to kiss her forehead. A tiny whine escaped her lips and Eleanor laughed a little. "On my lips, please?"

"I suppose." She pressed their lips together and Erin closed her eyes, letting Eleanor push her back onto the mattress, deepening the kiss as she threaded their fingers together and raised them above her head, pushing them against the headboard. Erin couldn't stop the moan that came to her lips and she felt Eleanor smile against her lips as she broke the kiss, letting her teeth scrape against her lower lip as she backed off. "So?"

"I liked that. Very much." Shrugging a little, she looked away from the woman, trying to gather her feelings, trying to make the moment feel less vulnerable. "Quit seeing into my soul."

"I can't, you're easy to read, once you take a close look." She pressed another quick kiss to her lips before getting off the bed and moving over to Erin's closet. "So, I really get the chance to raid your closet?"

"Yes." Erin sat up on the bed and drew her legs up to her chest, resting her chin on her knees as she watched Eleanor open the closet door and thumb through her clothes. Soon, the woman had hung up two outfits on the door, and she cocked her head to one side as a curious frown formed on her lips.

"I'm going to borrow your camel suit, since that matches my blouse best. You wear this." Eleanor gestured towards the black pencil skirt and lilac blouse.

She arched an eyebrow as she unfolded her body and clambered off the bed. Moving over to Eleanor's side, she hooked her chin over the woman's shoulder and sighed. "You chose my favorite blouse," she whispered as she reached out to rub the silky material between her thumb and forefinger.

"How nice." Eleanor rested her head against Erin's, a matching sigh slipping from her lips. "Now, I'm assuming that you have a second bathroom somewhere in this house." Erin nodded. "Excellent. I'll just take the suit and take a shower there, letting you have the master bath. And I was kidding about breakfast. I'll make it for us before we head to work."

"No, I can make us food. It's my house."

"Well, I suppose that it will fall to whoever gets to the kitchen first, then, Erin." Eleanor gave her a quick peck on the cheek before taking hold of the hangers and sashaying from the room. Erin couldn't help but watch her go, feeling an odd sense of discontent fill her heart as she went.

Once the door closed, Erin was snapped out of her fugue, and she sighed deeply as she hurriedly stripped, placing her clothes in the hamper before padding over to the bathroom door. Erin avoided looking at herself in the mirror, since she didn't want to see the blush that she was certain stained her skin from face to chest. Stepping into the shower, she let the warm water pour down on her body as she thought about the whirlwind of events that had happened in the last twelve hours. She had actually kissed a woman, not once, but multiple times. She had found an instant connection with someone, something that had never really happened to her before. And she felt happier about where her life was headed than she had in ages.

Still, she wanted to proceed with caution, to take baby steps to see where this would lead, since she had been burned by rushing into her relationship with David. Washing her hair, Erin began to focus in on her past mistakes, and how she had managed to hurt so many people after returning back from witness protection. A few tears began to roll down her cheeks, mingling with the water from the showerhead, and she was grateful that she wasn't crying in front of Eleanor. Rinsing the conditioner from her hair, she turned the water off and tugged her towel off the bar, wrapping it around her body before stepping onto the bathmat and taking another towel to wrap around her head before traipsing over to the mirror and taking a good look at her reflection.

There was less sadness in her expression, something that lifted her heart, and she smiled at herself as she lifted her hands to rub her hair dry with the towel. Starting to hum a joyful tune, Erin finished drying off before slipping back into her bedroom and getting dressed and putting on her makeup. Finally, she was ready to head downstairs, and Erin began to plan the food she would make for them as she went.

The closer she got to the kitchen, though, the more she could already smell something being cooked, and she frowned. Stepping into the room, she found Eleanor had tied one of her aprons around her waist and was also humming under her breath as she stirred some eggs. "I assumed that I would be the first one down here."

Eleanor looked over her shoulder at Erin and gave her a wide smile. "You also took time to style your hair and put on makeup. All I had to do was brush my hair and swipe some lipstick on. Now, take a seat at the table, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and relax. Let someone take care of you."

Erin nodded as she did so, picking up the pot off the trivet and absently filling her mug as she continued to keep half an eye on Eleanor. There was something so right about how she took up space in her kitchen, like she had been there for an eternity, and Erin let out a happy sigh before she started to hum along to the tune Eleanor was still breathing out. "I could very easily get accustomed to this," she murmured as she relaxed in her chair, the smile on her face growing all the wider when Eleanor turned to her, a plate in each hand, and took a seat next to her.

"Eleanor, what am I going to do about you?" she said as she picked up her fork and poked at her eggs.

"Hopefully, let me into your life," Eleanor replied, reaching out to squeeze Erin's hand before pouring herself a cup of coffee and digging into her food. As Erin followed suit, she knew that that was the perfect answer, one she hoped to make true as the weeks went by.


	5. Chapter 5

Erin cleared her throat as she stepped onto the elevator. She was weirdly filled with nervousness at the thought of holding out that first olive branch to Penelope. Eleanor had given her a soft kiss on her cheek when she had announced her intentions, and that alone was enough to give her courage to take that first step towards reconciliation, but it still didn't make her feel any less anxious.

The only good thing about using that day as her start was the fact that Alpha team was out on the field, so there wouldn't be any chance of one of them stopping her, of their disapproving glances and glares as she climbed the stairs up to the tech cave, of them gathering around the door to make certain that she wasn't hurting Penelope any more than she already had.

Tapping her foot in an unsteady rhythm, she worried a bit of her blouse between her fingers, thinking of Eleanor and how proud she would be of her for doing this. That was truly the only thing keeping her going, because her proud heart would have loved nothing more than to not get off on the sixth floor, instead, riding up to her department on the tenth floor and burying herself in work.

As Erin got out of the elevator, she met the gaze of Agent Anderson, and gave him a cool, even, look as they nodded to each other. "How are you doing, Ma'am?" he asked as he approached her. There wasn't anything in his tone to suggest censure, and so she found herself less hostile to the idea of talking with him.

"I'm doing better these days, thank you for asking. Though I am about test that." She glanced up at Penelope's door, and Anderson followed her look before he reached out and touched her hand softly, drawing her eyes back towards him.

"It's hard, admitting that you were wrong. But you're doing the hard thing, and that has to mean something to her."

She nodded as she blinked a little, cursing the sudden appearance of tears. "Thanks for the vote of confidence," Erin murmured as she drew her shoulders up and gave Anderson a small smile. "Wish me luck."

"Good luck, Ma'am."

Erin drew in a deep breath through her nose as she straightened her back and glided over to the stairs. Climbing them sedately, she tried to exude the feeling of calm that she desperately wished she had. All too soon, however, she was in front of the door, and with a hesitant, shaking, arm, she raised her hand up and knocked softly, but firmly.

It took a few moments, but then she heard movement behind the door, footfalls coming nearer and nearer. Erin felt her throat constrict a little, words already turning to ash in her mouth. And then the door was opening, and Penelope was giving her an askance look, as if trying to suss out why Erin was there. "Chief Strauss."

"You know you can call me Erin now. I'm no longer your boss."

"I know. Old habits die hard, I guess." Penelope adjusted her glasses a little, her eyes still on Erin's face. "Do, do you want to come in?"

"Yes."

Penelope stepped aside to make room for Erin to enter, and she did so hesitantly, her eyes growing quickly accustomed to the dim lighting in the office. The door closed with a loud click, and she struggled to not flinch at the sound. "Why are you here?"

There was a defensive tone in her voice, which Erin had half expected. Taking a seat on the low couch, Erin tried to appear regal and collected, in direct contrast to how she was feeling inside. Taking a deep breath, she stared at a spot on Penelope's cheek in order to appear like she was making eye contact, and then spoke. "I've come to extend an olive branch. It has been brought to my attention that the way I've treated you and David has been less than kind. I was trying to protect my tender heart, and in doing so, I may have hurt you, and that was never my intention."

There was more that she wanted to say, so much more, but emotion betrayed her again, as her eyes filled with tears that she blinked back. Penelope made a soft sound of commiseration, sinking down next to her and slinging an arm around her shoulders. Erin stiffened for just a moment before allowing herself to melt into the hug and openly cry.

"Shh, Erin. It's perfectly okay to have a tender heart. And we didn't really go about our relationship in the best way. I knew, in a small part of my mind, that this would hurt you, but I've always had a crush on Dave, and I let that blind me to what it might do to anyone else. I really should be the one asking for forgiveness here."

Erin pulled away a little so that she could look up into Penelope's face, shaking her head a little. "We're a pair of fools, aren't we?"

"Maybe. But I'm really glad that this is out in the open now. I thought you'd hate me forever."

She shook her head as she swiped away tears from her cheeks, grateful she's worn waterproof mascara that morning. "I don't think I ever really hated you. I think there was a little part of my heart that was jealous of, of…" Erin trailed off, not really certain she could admit the truth that Eleanor had so quickly discovered about her.

"Of who, Erin?"

"Of you both," she finally replied, looking down into her lap. "I grew up in a household that expected certain things, and I'm slowly learning that the chasm between what was expected of me and who I might really be is larger than I'd thought."

From the sharp gasp the tumbled from Penelope's mouth, Erin knew that she had understood what she'd been intimating, and a tightness filled her chest as she curled up into a ball, pulling away from Penelope so as not to have to face her rejection. "It's always good to find these things out about ourselves. And if I weren't so enamored with Dave, I might help you explore that new facet of yourself."

Erin's head shot up, the constriction in her chest easing at the sight of a naughty smile on Penelope's lips. "I could never have kept up with you," she whispered, finding a timid smile spread across her lips in return.

"Oh, I would have made certain that you did. Do you have someone that's going to help you discover more about yourself? Or do I need to find you some perfect people to explore with?"

Erin felt her cheeks become quite flushed as she nervously laughed, shaking her head a little. "I've actually found someone who I think it will be nice to explore with."

"Ooh, do I know her?"

Erin shrugged, suddenly finding herself shy and loathe to reveal Eleanor to Penelope so soon. "She works for the FBI, but…"

"You want to keep this to yourself until you know where things are going?" Erin nodded. "I totally understand. Just let her know that if she dares to hurt you, you still fall beneath the Penelope Garcia umbrella of protection."

The slightly feral glint in Penelope's eyes made Erin blanch a little and she cocked her head to one side as she tried to work out just when she had been deemed worthy of protection and what the woman might do to any potential suitor that did hurt her. "I don't want you getting into trouble over me, if anything bad ever were to happen."

"Oh, don't worry, I know how to cover my tracks and make it look like nothing ever happened on my end. And you are worth it, Erin. You survived something so awful and are stronger for it. I would do anything to ensure that you're never in a position like that again." Reaching out, Penelope took hold of Erin's hand and squeezed it tightly. "Even though you're with White Collar Crimes now, you're still a part of the BAU family. And I protect my family." Erin could only smile and nod tearfully, so grateful for Eleanor and her gentle prodding to let go of the bitterness in her heart and allow true tenderness to roost there once more.


	6. Chapter 6

"So, I take it that things went well between you and Penelope?" Eleanor asked after the hostess had shown them to a secluded booth in the restaurant she had chosen for their first date. Erin nodded a little as she picked up the menu, scanning it carefully to see if there would be anything there that she might like. She wasn't too keen on French cuisine, but she would try anything once for a friend and potential partner.

Finally deciding on the Blaquette de Veau, she set aside the menu and gazed at Eleanor, watching the way her eyes scanned the dishes, the little smiles that crossed her face when she appeared to find something that she particularly liked. Her eyes would dart up every so often to look at Erin, and then they'd smile shyly at each other before looking elsewhere.

"Have you decided yet, ladies?"

Erin looked up at their server with a start, coming out of their little bubble to look at her with a slight frown. "I have. Are you ready to order, Ellie?"

"I think so."

After they'd placed their order, Erin making certain to stick to water with her meal, and Eleanor followed suit, which was sweet of her, she folded her hands on the table and gazed at the woman, trying to memorise her features. "Erin? I did ask you a question."

"I know. I was hoping to save that answer for after dessert. When we're back at one of our places."

What she didn't say is that she was worried about bursting into tears, and that she didn't want to embarrass either of them with that display. Eleanor continued to look at her, understanding filling her eyes as she reached across the table and covered Erin's hands with one of her own, giving a gentle squeeze. "Well, since I've been over to your place, I think it's only fitting that we go back to mine tonight."

"That sounds perfect, Ellie."

A gentle silence fell over them, and even though Erin wanted to ask Eleanor a thousand questions, each one seemed to die in her throat, since there was something so comforting about just being able to be around Eleanor. At some point, Erin rested her chin in her hand and Eleanor copied the movement, giving her a sweet smile.

She barely noticed when their server set their plates down in front of them, but then her stomach growled a little, and Eleanor let out a soft giggle, which seemed to break the idyllic haze that had settled around them. "We do need to eat, Erin. Keeping up our stamina, and all that." The broad wink that Eleanor gave her caused Erin to blush a little even as she giggled in return.

"And this does look scrumptious," she said as she looked down at her plate. "So, how did your day go?"

"It was a long day, full of tedious meetings and my concentration was divided with thoughts of you and if you were going to get up the courage to hold out that olive branch. The text I received from you helped to relieve that a little, and yet I still found you in my thoughts. I wonder, was it the same for you?"

Erin couldn't help but nod a little as she stabbed her fork into a morsel of food and bringing it to her lips. She couldn't help but notice the way that Eleanor's eyes tracked the movement, and she tried not to deliberately act sensuously, though from the way the woman licked her lips, Erin knew that she had missed that mark. Swallowing her bite, she used her fork to dig around in her meal as she looked at Eleanor's hands. A quick flash of thought ran through her head, and she shuddered at the notion of those hands caressing her skin. Clearing her throat a little, she swallowed a sip of water before answering.

"I did. In very short order, you've carved out your own little niche in my mind."

Eleanor nodded and they set about eating their food. Erin found it delicious, despite her aversion to the style of cooking, and as they waited for their plates to be cleared, she leaned back in her chair and regarded Eleanor. "I want to know more about your childhood."

She started a little and took a deep breath. "There's not much to tell. I was a normal only child, cossetted and coddled by my parents. I was always bright for my age, clever and manipulative, all at once."

"Erin."

"What, I was." She took another deep breath and picked up her water glass, twirling the stem of it between her fingers as she tried to figure out how to explain herself. "I learned quickly how to get my way and how to charm others into ceding to my way. Was it any wonder that I majored in psychology? I have my doctorate, though most people never acknowledge that, seeing as how the position I rose to in the BAU was more prestigious. And I hated the politics of it all, even when I was so good at it."

"Erin…"

"I did terrible things, cruel things, and it's no wonder that John Curtis wanted to see me dead. I deserved that."

"Erin Elizabeth Strauss!"

The use of her full name caught her attention, and she shook her head a little before focusing in on Eleanor's face once more. Her eyes were large and luminous, and as she reached up to touch her own cheeks, she was surprised to feel her fingers come away wet. "How do you know my full name?"

"I may have dug into your personnel file a little today. Your full name was there, and I committed it to memory. Obviously, I needed it." Erin nodded a little. "Erin, please, listen to me." Eleanor reached across the table and took hold of her free hand, threading their fingers together as she stared into her face. "Nothing you ever did could have made what happened to you in any way your fault."

She nodded a little, suddenly glad when the server dropped off their check, since it meant that she could focus on something other than the tender frisson between them. As she went to pull out her billfold, Eleanor sharply squeezed her hand. Pausing, she watched as Eleanor slipped her credit card into the black folder before setting it on the edge of their table.

Somehow, Erin knew it would be useless to protest, and after Eleanor had signed the slip, they got up, and walked hand in hand out to their cars. "I'll drive carefully, but not slowly."

"Okay." And before they parted, Eleanor kissed her delicately, nuzzling her nose against Erin's before letting her go. "Ellie?"

"Yes, Erin?"

"Thank you." The other woman smiled as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, a soft blush on her cheeks. Without saying another word, Eleanor hurried over to her car and climbed in. Erin followed suit and found herself humming as she drove behind Eleanor to her home.

It was a small place, just outside Quantico, and she smiled as she parked behind Eleanor, getting out of her car and going over to her side. "So, this is home."

"So it is. I, I have a go bag in my trunk," she said in a rush. "You know, if we talk for too long, and I don't feel like driving home." Eleanor laughed lowly before pulling Erin into a tight hug, kissing her fiercely before unlocking the door and letting them in.

"You are adorable." Another kiss was quickly pressed to her lips as Eleanor guided her over to the living room and pulled her down onto the couch, making certain to have Erin as close to her as possible. It was so easy to rest her head on Eleanor's chest and let her run her fingers through her hair. "And yes, you can stay. In my bed or in the guest bedroom, wherever you feel most comfortable. Now, tell me about how things went between you and Penelope." Erin nodded as she settled into her place close to Eleanor and began to tell her about what had happened that morning.


	7. Chapter 7

There was an odd sort of electricity in the air as Erin pushed her hands through her hair, feeling frustration build and build in her chest the longer she thought about what had happened that morning. She had gotten into a terrible disagreement with her oldest daughter before leaving for work, and then, on her way into the building, had dropped her favorite coffee mug onto the ground, shattering it beyond salvageability. And it didn't help that Eleanor hadn't returned her morning text, as had become their morning ritual in the three weeks they had been dating.

Another frustrated sigh slipped from her lips as she tried to regain her focus on her work. It was a losing battle, though, and she finally pushed away from her desk and stalked out to the washroom. Locking herself in a stall, she angrily sat down and tugged out her phone, looking at the display to find that there was nothing from Martha or Eleanor.

Opening up her messaging app, Erin tapped out a short reply to her daughter, telling her that when she was ready to talk more civilly, she was only a phone call away. Then she tapped on Eleanor's name and looked at the last message she had sent. All she could focus on was the fact that it was obvious the woman had read said message and was yet to send her anything in return. Unable to stop herself, she sent off another, snarkier, message before turning her phone off and shoving it into her pocket before stalking back over to her desk and sitting back behind her desk and staring at the monitor.

The words swam before her eyes and soon she was crying quietly, feeling disconsolate and bereft. Knowing that she had to talk to someone, she picked up her desk phone and dialed Penelope's number.

"Buttercup! What's up?"

The sunny sound of her voice soothed Erin a little and she let her shoulders slump as she stared down at her desk. "It is not even ten in the morning, and the day is already hell. I guess I just needed to hear a cheerful voice?"

"Well, why didn't you call Ellie? I'm sure she'd love to hear from you!"

Erin blew out a long breath as she shook her head. "She hasn't responded to my good morning text. Usually she's the one that sends it, so I'm not going to say anything until she does."

"That is the most passive aggressive bullshit reason not to talk to your partner I have ever heard." Erin bristled at the sharp tone in Penelope's voice, and it took everything in her not to hang up the phone in frustration. "You keep saying that you want to change, to be a better person, and you've started that by making amends with me. Don't set that progress back by acting like this to Eleanor. And I really think that your heart will never forgive you if you let pride get in the way."

Penelope did have a good point, much though Erin didn't want to admit that. "I'll try. Thank you for talking to me."

"You're most welcome, Buttercup. Remember, call her!"

Erin made a low sound of agreement in her throat before hanging up and setting her phone aside. And maybe she was being a little irrational with her irritation, since it had been a cascading series of events that led to her current state.

Before she could get to a calmer state of mind, though, her phone rang, and she looked at the display. Groaning a little, Erin braced herself to speak with her girlfriend. "Erin Strauss here," she answered, trying to act like she hadn't glanced at the display before taking the call.

"I know that you know it's me, Erin. What the hell was the deal with that snarky text?"

The ire in Eleanor's voice just set her nerves even more on edge, and she decided to give back as good as she was getting, not caring in that moment what the consequences might be. "What the hell was with you not sending me a good morning text? Or answering mine? Do I really mean that little to you?"

She knew that she was being ridiculous, but now that she had committed to that course of action, Erin knew that she had to go with it and get everything out of her system. Listening carefully, she heard Eleanor draw in a deep breath, and tried to prepare herself for the onslaught that was about to happen. "Really? That's the thing you immediately think? You didn't stop to think that perhaps there had been an emergency this morning? Or that my phone might have died?"

"Oh, don't even give me that, Ellie! We both have iPhones, I know for certain that you saw my message, and chose to ignore me. You chose to put me on the backburner, just like everyone else has ever done in my life."

Her voice had slipped down to just above a whisper, angry tears pricking at her eyes, and she tried to get her breathing under control as she waited for Eleanor's response. It didn't take long to come. "I cannot believe that you would accuse me of that, Erin. Not after all you've shared with me about your life, and what I've shared with you. I know, we're just beginning this journey together, but I trusted you to trust me. Maybe I was wrong."

Erin felt like her breath had been forcibly removed from her lungs, and a little whimper tore from her lips as she struggled to keep from breaking down into sobs. "Maybe," she finally whispered before pulling the phone away from her ear and hanging up. Knowing that Eleanor might try and call back when she realized Erin had hung up, she turned her phone off and slipped it into her purse.

Knowing that she needed to get her emotions out of her system before she broke down in front of her colleagues, Erin pushed away from her desk and stalked over to the bathroom, shutting herself in a stall and burying her face in her hands as she let herself sob. She knew that she should have listened to Penelope, that she should have tried to be calm and rational, but that had all flown out the window as she had let her mouth and heart get ahead of her brain. She had been so hurt in the past that she allowed those feelings to rule, and most likely destroyed something precious to her in the process.

Finally, she managed to get control of herself and she stepped out of the stall and over to the sink, running cold water so that she could reduce the puffiness below her eyes, in order to give the appearance that everything was all right with her. There was no fixing her makeup, since she hadn't brought her purse with her, so she washed off as much mascara as she could before patting dry her face and taking a deep breath.

As she made her way back to her office, she saw a coworker coming down the hall towards her, and she plastered on the fakest smile that she could muster, giving him a small wave as she slipped behind the door of her office and closing it before he could say anything to her. It was avoidance in the extreme, but it was the only thing she could do in that moment to keep her heart from shattering again.


	8. Chapter 8

Erin pulled her meal out of the oven and brought it over to the table, sitting heavily as she stared at her silent phone. She had turned it back on the moment she finished work, but there had been no further contact from Eleanor. That was both understandable and incredibly hurtful, and it had been a struggle to keep from breaking down once more as she had driven home.

A tiny part of her had expected to see Eleanor on her porch, waiting for her, but even that little bit of hope was too much, and her shoulders had slumped the moment she realized her home was cold and empty. The ruminations didn't help her mood, and as she picked at her food, Erin began to cry once more, letting her tears mingle with her meal. After only a few bites, she pushed her plate away and stood, going over to her fridge and opening the door, staring at the contents to maybe find something that would make her feel even one iota better.

Finding nothing there, she sighed and picked up her plate, sticking the contents into the fridge before closing the door and shuffling over to the living room. As she sank down onto the sofa, she realized that she had left her phone in the kitchen, not charging, but she didn't really feel like getting up to do that. Glancing over at her book, she instinctively knew that reading anything was out of the question, and so she pulled down the blanket from the back of the couch and wrapped it around her legs as she stared unseeingly at the wall.

It took a few moments, but eventually, the sound of her doorbell cut through the haze of her self-pity, and she frowned as she stood up, making her way through her house to reach the front door. Glancing out through the window, she saw that Eleanor was standing there, a bouquet of flowers in her hand. Still, her heart refused to lift from the basement of her stomach, and she pursed her lips together as she opened the door to look her up and down, taking in the air of hope that still radiated from her in waves.

"Ellie?"

Eleanor lifted her head to look into her eyes, and she said the only thing she could do was speak. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, Erin," she breathed out as she stepped over the threshold, her eyes filling with tears as she wrapped her arms around her and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Why didn't you answer your phone just now?"

"I left it in the kitchen. I thought you didn't want to talk to me. I thought that I had ruined everything by being so selfish." She knew that she was babbling, but with Eleanor here, she had to let her know that she was so very sorry for her actions. "I thought that I had lost you, and after the morning I had, I just, I couldn't deescalate, and everything just went to hell so quickly."

Eleanor's hand rubbed up and down her back as she began to murmur comforting words in Erin's ear. Somehow, they made it into the living room, and as Eleanor pulled her down onto the sofa, she allowed the woman to press soft kisses to her face and lips. "I know that you didn't mean to hurt me, Erin. I know that you were reacting out of a place of fear. And I'm sorry that I haven't done enough to provide a firm foundation for you to trust me yet."

"I didn't realise I was so tender," she murmured as she lifted her head to look into Eleanor's eyes. There were mascara smudges beneath them, and she gently reached up to swipe away a few stray tears before pressing her lips to Eleanor's cheek. "But why did you come to me?"

"Because I knew that your wounded pride wouldn't allow you to come to me. Despite how much you might have wanted to." Eleanor gave her a sad smile, and Erin nodded before looking at the flowers still in her girlfriend's hands. "I didn't know what flowers you'd like, so I got you something pretty. Because you're so pretty to me."

Those words were like a balm to her wounded heart, and she nodded as she took the bouquet from her hands and brought it to her nose, breathing in deeply. "These are so perfect. Thank you." Setting them on the table, Erin leaned in and kissed Eleanor possessively, trying to meld their bodies together through their lips.

The hunger she had for Eleanor in that moment stole her breath away, and all she wanted to do was take things to the next level, but she wasn't certain if that was something Eleanor wanted. Carefully, Erin brought her hands up to cup the other woman's breasts, and as she pulled her face away, she could read the desire plainly on her face. "I was rather hoping we could see where things progressed to this evening. After all, makeup sex is sometimes the best sex."

Erin knew that she was blushing, and she popped to her feet, picking up the bouquet and holding it tightly between her breasts. "I've heard that, too," she said airily as she turned and scurried from the room. She heard footfalls behind her, which let her know that Eleanor was following, and she smiled at being chased. Even if she was feeling overwhelmingly nervous at this next step they both clearly wanted. "I, I just need to put these in water. I wouldn't want them to wilt overnight."

"Perish the thought," Eleanor teased as she watched Erin pull out a vase and fill it with water. Once the flowers were safely put away, there was nothing more to distract her, nothing more to keep them from acting on their desires, and Erin stepped forward, closing the space between them. Eleanor wrapped her arms around Erin's waist as their lips met for another lush kiss.

"You know, Penelope would have some dirty comment to cut the tension in the room," she whispered as she took hold of Eleanor's hand and began to lead her upstairs to her bedroom."

"And what would that be?"

"It might go a little something like, now the flowers are as wet as I am." The ribald statement slipped off her tongue far more easily than she had thought it would, but from the way that Eleanor giggled, she knew that she hadn't upset her. "Please, don't expect bon mots like that to drop from my tongue often, if ever again."

"All right. But your ears turn a delicious shade of red when you're really embarrassed."

Her cheeks grew warmer as she pulled Eleanor into her bedroom, kicking the door shut before dropping Eleanor's hand and making her way over to her bed. "Join me?" she asked as she patted the mattress, her nerves starting to jangle once more.

Eleanor gave her a soft smile as she came over to her side, kneeling on the floor as she placed her hands on Erin's knees, looking up into her face. "I think this might just be my favorite position, looking up into your face," she said lowly as she ran her hands up Erin's legs and torso to fiddle with the buttons on her blouse. Erin felt her breathing pick up as Eleanor slowly slipped the buttons from their holes, baring her skin to her.

As Eleanor pushed the blouse off her shoulders, she leaned in and pressed a large, open-mouthed, kiss against the swell of Erin's chest, her hands fumbling with the clasp on her bra. Erin started a little to feel slender fingers brush against her nipples, and she groaned lowly as Eleanor pushed her back onto the bed, straddling her as she quickly pulled off her top and tossed it to the floor. Her mouth turned dry as she watched Eleanor unhooked her own bra, dropping it off her body before stretching out along Erin's body, kissing her once more, and Erin gave herself over to the pleasure that Eleanor was bringing to her body.


	9. Chapter 9

The day looked incredibly bright and sunny from her office, and Erin sighed dreamily as she looked out her window, wishing that she could spend a little bit of her day with Eleanor. But seeing as how they were both swamped with work, she didn't think that would be possible until the end of their day. Letting out another sigh, Erin turned back to her work and tried to focus on the task at hand.

Another hour crawled by, and then her office door was opening, and she looked up in anticipation. When Eleanor stepped inside, a wide smile spread across her lips as she beckoned her over. Eleanor shook her head as she relaxed against the doorjamb, giving her a small smirk. "I'm here to take my lady to lunch."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. I have it on good authority that you haven't taken a lunch yet today, and that there is a beautiful sun shining out there in that sky. I promise, I'll have you back in time so that we don't have to stay late tonight."

Erin nodded as she opened her desk drawer and pulled out her purse. "Do you have a particular place in mind?"

"I do." Eleanor smiled as she waited for Erin to join her, slipping her arm into the crook of her elbow as they made their way over to the elevators. "I hope you don't mind if we take my car."

"That will be fine." She maneuvered their arms so that their hands were intertwined instead, finding that to be much more comfortable. A few people gave them looks, but one cool glance from Erin had them nodding and moving along.

"Your reputation is still firmly in place, I see."

Erin chuckled as she shrugged. "You have to develop a thick skin when you're the only female Section Chief for the BAU. I still haven't quite lost the intimidation factor, but it works for me."

"That it does. I rather like having a powerful woman for my partner."

Erin smiled as they stepped into the parking garage. "You're also sort of intimidating, too, Ellie. I've watched you, and I see the way you manipulate your underlings to do your bidding." Eleanor turned her head and winked at her before leading her over to her car. Erin got in the passenger seat and sat so that she could watch her lover as she drove. Classical music played softly on the radio, and Erin felt so relaxed, more so than she had in months, that she fell asleep and only woke up when Eleanor kissed her lips tenderly. "Umm, how long was I out for?"

"Just about twenty minutes, which was perfect, since it let me get our food and drive us to the park. Come on." Erin nodded as she stretched a little before getting out of the car, looking at the bags in her partner's hands. There were from her favorite delicatessen, and she grinned as they made their way over to a shady tree. Eleanor thrust a blanket at her, and she spread it out on the ground before taking a seat, holding up her hand invitingly.

"Join me?"

"Anywhere and everywhere," was the quick reply, and Erin grinned as Eleanor slid her hand home, gracefully taking a seat before handing out their food.

As they ate, Erin reclined against the tree, watching Eleanor intently. There was something so ineffably beautiful about the way the sun haloed Eleanor's hair, lending her a glow that filled Erin's heart to bursting. "I love you," she whispered before she could call the words back, and hurriedly she looked away from her partner, not certain that she could bear to see if her revelation had been a welcome surprise or not.

And then Eleanor's hand was cupping her chin, raising her head so that Erin was looking at her once more. "I always assumed that I would be the first one to say those words in this relationship. I didn't think that you'd be ready to feel that way after three months of dating. And yet, here you are, surprising me once more." Leaning in, Eleanor kissed her softly before running her fingers through her hair. "I love you, too, darling."

She blinked a few times as she processed what Eleanor had said, and then her face lit up in a full smile as she kissed her girlfriend once more. "I didn't think I'd be saying those words for a few weeks yet, either. There was just something about this setting, about the way you look in the sunlight, and how you know me so well, that just brought about an overwhelming desire to tell you how I feel. Life is so short, I know that all too well. And you've stayed by my side, even when I was behaving atrociously. I think you may be stuck with me until the end of time."

"Good." They shared a third kiss before going back to their meal, and still, Erin couldn't help but steal little glances at Eleanor, giving her a shy smile every time their eyes met. "I can tell you one thing, though."

"What's that?"

"If you look at me with such tenderness all the time, I'm not going to be able to ever let you go. And that might cause some issues at work."

Erin giggled as she finished off her sandwich, falling back against the blanket to stare up at the bright blue sky. Eleanor joined her moments later, her head coming to rest on her stomach as they gazed aimlessly upwards. "Do you ever think about how different life would be but for one choice?"

"I do. I think about how I might never have met you, if I hadn't come back east after Stan. Or how we might have just been ships passing in the night if I hadn't reached out."

"Up until you, I thought I would gladly go back in time and change my fate, to make certain that John Curtis was never slighted, to treat Alex a little better than I did, so that I would never have to face near death. But things changed for me when I met you, and I know that if even one small detail were change, that would never have happened. I'd most likely still be with David, and would have missed out on this great good."

They let out little sounds of contentment as Eleanor turned her body so that she was looking up into Erin's face. "I'm going to love being loved by you. I just have this feeling," she said softly as she drew abstract patterns on Erin's chest. "I suppose that the next thing we have to talk about is moving in together. When the time is right. Because there are nights when you're not near, and I get lonely. Which is ridiculous, I'm a grown woman who doesn't need constant contact to know that I'm loved. But, still…"

"There's a yearning in your heart that wasn't there a few months ago?" Erin asked. She nodded and Erin sighed as she started to play with Eleanor's hair. "I feel the same way. And I wish I felt certain that moving in is the right thing to do at this junction, but I also want to be as certain as we can be that this will work out before making a drastic change. And you're going to hate this, but I don't want to give up my house. It's where my children grew up, and I'm more than just a little sentimental about that."

"Actually, I don't hate that, not at all. I think it is insanely sweet, and I think I would love to live in a house with a real backyard, a place where I could garden and grow pretty things. The future would be bright, being with you." Erin gave a small nod before pressing her thumb against Eleanor's lips, smiling when the other woman kissed it. The future did indeed look very bright.


	10. Chapter 10

"Thanks for agreeing to help us, David, Aaron. It's nice to know that I still have some friends in the FBI." Shyly, she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, giving David a small smile as she tried to focus on not breaking down in tears. It had taken a lot of courage to ask him to help her out, since things were still a little tender between them. He returned her smile before hefting another box onto his shoulder.

"No, you just needed our muscle, ma'am," Derek said as he waited for David to head out the door, a box under his arm. She shrugged a little, letting a grin dance about her face as she finally nodded. He chuckled a little as he reached out and squeezed her shoulder. She leaned into the touch, keeping her eyes on Eleanor, who was talking animatedly to Penelope and JJ. Reid and Alex were still packing up Eleanor's books, and the fact that everyone was there, supporting her, filled her with such joy. "So, you've finally found the one."

"How can you tell?"

"Just by the way you light up looking at her. She's lovely, but she's also exactly like you."

"How so?" she asked, turning her face up to look at him, arching one eyebrow as she fixed as stony a gaze as she could muster on him.

He chuckled a little as he chucked her chin lightly. "It's not a bad thing, she's just formidable, like you. You're a power couple, plain and simple. Embrace it. I have the feeling that if you were to be in the same department, you'd be running it in six months, and no one would look twice."

She relaxed against him once more as she nodded, listening to Eleanor giggle about something JJ had said. "We could rule the world, if we put our minds to it. But I think that I'm going to pour my focus into taking care of her."

"That is adorable." She looked over to see that Alex had joined them at some point, a box of books in her arms. "I'm going to run this box out to the truck, and then head out for coffee for us. Are you still taking yours with three sugar?"

She nodded. "You have a good memory. Eleanor likes hers white with one sugar. But let me get some money…"

"No, I have this." Alex gave her a soft smile before heading out the door.

A light sigh slipped from her lips as she wrapped her arms around her waist. "What is it, pretty lady?"

"I am so blessed to have good friends. I took you all for granted, after I returned to the FBI. I couldn't see past my nose, which was ridiculous. If Eleanor hadn't encouraged me to reach out to Penelope, I might have lost out on the greatest relationships in my life."

He nodded before leaning down and kissing the crown of her head. "Hey, she's mine! Keep your lips to yourself, big guy!"

They broke out into a fit of laughter as Eleanor raised her eyebrow, almost in a perfect mirror of Erin, and this caused her to laugh even harder, even as her lover strode over to her side and wrapped an arm around her waist. "You are too adorable, Ellie," Erin whispered as she kissed her lover's cheek gently. "I think that we're almost halfway there, don't you?"

"Yes. Many hands make for light work, and that is proving true today. Now, Derek, I'm glad that you're helping us, but Erin's mine." She tempered her words with a true smile, and Derek nodded before adjusting the box on his hip. "I wish that I could be a little less possessive, but I have a jealous heart."

"I totally get that, Eleanor." He reached out and patted Eleanor's shoulder lightly. "Now, I need to get this box on the truck before my arm falls off."

They nodded and watched him go. "I do so love you, Ellie," Erin murmured as they drifted into the kitchen. The table was still there, and she hopped up on it, hoping that Eleanor would sit next to her. She did, and Erin rested her head on Eleanor's shoulder as she reached out for her hand. "What were we thinking about for lunch? You have that really good Chinese place nearby, and I think everyone likes that. They even have some vegetarian options for Penelope."

"That would work. I'll give them a call if you want to head up to my room and start packing the rest of my clothes." Erin nodded, and Eleanor leaned over to kiss her gently. "Go, before I waste more time kissing you. That can wait until tonight, when I'm in your bed."

Erin laughed a little as she stood once more, making her way to the door. "Remember, I prefer chicken chow mein."

"As if I could forget." Eleanor waggled her fingers at Erin before pulling out her phone. "Go."

Erin nodded and turned on her heel, heading upstairs and into Eleanor's bedroom. Almost everything was gone already, save for a few large boxes, and she picked one up and carried it over to the dresser. Opening the first drawer, she smiled to see it was full of silky nightwear. Folding the nightwear as best she could, Erin quickly started to fill the box.

A soft knock on the door caught her attention, and she saw Penelope in the doorway, holding out a cup of coffee. "Alex called in our order while she was driving, and it was ready for her when she got there. Did you need any help in here?"

"That might be nice," she replied as she took the cup from Penelope's hand. "If you want to work on the closet, I'll finish up with the dresser. I think it's going to take all the guys to carry this out to the trunk, it's really heavy."

"It also beautiful. I wonder if it's an antique?" Penelope made her way over to the closet, sipping at her coffee before pulling out a handful of hangers and taking them to the bed so that she could fold them and fill a box.

"It probably is, the drawers are beautifully dovetailed." They smiled at each other, and Erin went back to folding Eleanor's underclothes. "Penelope?"

"Yes?"

"I'm so glad that we can be friends."

A strangled breath came from Penelope's throat, and Erin looked up to see that though she was still smiling, her eyes were brimming with tears. "I'm just glad that we could work out our differences. I didn't want there to be this cloud of animosity hanging over us. You're kind of amazing."

A soft blush stained her cheeks as she shook her head. "I'm not, not really. I just happen to have really good taste in partners who seem determined to make me better than I am." Turning her head once more, she saw Eleanor leaning against the doorway, a smile on her lips. "I also seem to have the habit of surrounding myself with beautiful people."

A pretty blush spread over Eleanor's face as she stepped into the room, taking a sip from her coffee. "Thank you for telling Alex how I like my coffee. This is the perfect pick me up right now. And the food should be delivered in about an hour. It's going to take a little longer, since it was a bigger order." She went over to the bed and flopped back on it, staring up at the ceiling. "I know, I should be helping with something, but I am just so exhausted."

"Just rest, then, Ellie. We'll call you when the food arrives," Penelope said as she went back for another load of clothes. "And we'll try not to talk too loudly, just in case you fall asleep." She winked at Erin, and she nodded in return, grateful to have the lovely support of friends at a time like this.


	11. Chapter 11

Erin had just settled down on the sofa next to Eleanor when the doorbell rang. She hadn't been expecting any visitors, and from the way that Eleanor stiffened against her. "All right, it's six in the evening, and I don't think we were planning on having guests. Do you want to go see who it is?" she said as she looked at Eleanor. The woman frowned a little, shaking her head, and Erin sighed. "I don't really want to go alone."

It surprised her to recognize that she still had some residual side effects from her ordeal with John Curtis. Eleanor appeared to take another beat before she seemed to catch on to why she was a little apprehensive, and then she was leaning over and kissing her softly. "I will come with you, yes," she whispered before tugging on a hank of Erin's hair and giving her another kiss.

The courage that filled her body as Eleanor clasped her hand and brought her to her feet made Erin fall in love with her partner all the more, and together, they walked to the door, and Erin peeked out to see that a couple were standing on her porch. "I didn't think Jehovah's Witnesses came out this late at night," she murmured as she turned the porch light on, illuminating the figures.

"Mary! Marshall!"

It was clear that Eleanor knew these people, and she cocked her head to one side as she unlocked the door and opened it. The man turned and gave her a warm smile as he reached his hand out towards her. "Marshall Mann," he said as Erin shook his hand firmly. "This is Mary Shannon. May we come in?"

She nodded and stepped back from the doorway, letting them enter. Marshall strode right over to Eleanor and wrapped her in a tight hug, while Mary hung back, a slightly bored look on her face. Erin frowned a little as she stepped closer to the woman, letting Eleanor and Marshall talk quietly. "If you didn't want to come, why are you here?"

Mary started a little, looking down at her. "We were in town for a mandatory meeting with our boss, and Marshall decided to check in on Eleanor. Stan mentioned the fact that she had recently moved, though I wasn't expecting her to have a roommate."

"We're not roommates," Eleanor said as she and Marshall came over to them. "We're partners. Can we fix you some coffee? I'd offer a drink, but we don't have alcohol in the house."

Eleanor was exceptional at diffusing situations, and Erin relaxed a little as she drifted to her, allowing her to sling her arm around her waist and hold her lightly. Mary once more stiffened, as if being in their presence bothered her for a reason that Erin couldn't quite place. Frowning a little more, she rested her head on Eleanor's shoulder, trying to discern what about them Mary was uncomfortable with.

"Coffee will be fine," Marshall said, breaking the heavy silence that had fallen over the room. From the smile on his face, Erin couldn't tell if he was oblivious to the undercurrent, or if he was deliberately trying to defuse the situation.

"Great. Erin and I will get it ready, you can go find the living room," Eleanor replied, shooing them towards the correct room. Erin was a little hesitant about letting just anyone stumble through her home, but if these people knew her Eleanor, she could deal with it. Even if it did rankle her. Eleanor took hold of her hand and dragged her into the kitchen, pushing her gently against the counter while she dug through the cupboard for their coffee. "You're probably wondering how I know them."

"Yes, but I knew that you would explain, eventually."

A quick smile flashed across Eleanor's face as she scooped out some grounds and placed them in the filter before starting the coffee maker. "You have no idea how your trust makes me feel." Stepping closer to her, Eleanor claimed her lips in a petal soft kiss, and Erin sighed against her lips as she let her arms close loosely around her lover's hips. "They're Marshals."

"Yes, he introduced himself."

Eleanor shook her head a little, her smile turning a bit sad. "No, they work for the US Marshal Service. As did I. I was just a clerk, but…"

"You couldn't tell me." Erin tried not to feel hurt by the omission, but she was. Eleanor seemed to recognize what she was feeling, since she tugged her closer, nuzzling her nose against Erin's shoulder. "I don't mean to be petty, to feel badly, but I do. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I would have told you in a better way, it's just that my past caught up to me before my mouth. Forgive me?"

"Of course," she whispered before kissing her cheek softly. "Will I like them?"

"You'll like Marshall, he's nice. Mary is a bit acerbic, but her prickly exterior covers a very tender heart. Sort of like yours."

She let out a mock gasp as she stepped away from her partner and went over to the mugs and picked up four, placing them on a tray before looking at Eleanor once more. "I'll remember that for later, darling. Now, do they take milk and sugar with their coffee?"

"Yes, definitely sugar." Erin nodded as she set the sugar bowl and five spoons on the tray, before going to the fridge and filling a small cup with milk for her and Eleanor, with enough left over if their guests wanted some as well. "Sugar. Maybe I should call you that."

"Please, don't. Penelope would probably be the only one who could get away with that. Though I don't mind when you call me darling." She gave Eleanor an almost shy smile, only to let it grow when Eleanor nodded and winked.

"I can live with darling."

The coffee finished brewing, and as Eleanor poured it into a carafe, Erin picked up the tray, heading out to the living room. As she stepped into the doorway, she couldn't help but overhear the conversation she was walking into. "…not expecting her to be living with a woman. That woman, in particular. You do recognize her, right?"

"Mare, Eleanor is a grown woman, I think she knows what she's gotten into. Besides, Erin seems like a lovely woman." She smiled at Marshall's assessment of her, and as she stepped farther into the room, she cleared her throat to announce her presence. "I hope that we didn't cause you too much trouble, Erin."

"No trouble at all. We love entertaining our friends." She made certain to look directly at Mary as she said that, arching an eyebrow as she regarded the woman. A part of her was surprised to see a faint blush staining her cheeks that quickly disappeared as Eleanor entered the room humming a cheerful tune.

"God, could you be any more perky? It's late."

"It's not so late, Mary. And when you're in love, your heart is automatically that much lighter." She gave Erin a knowing wink before filling the mugs with coffee. "Now, Mary, are you still putting an ungodly amount of sugar in your coffee?"

The other woman nodded curtly, and Erin felt her eyes widen as she watched Eleanor pour what seemed like half the bowl into her mug before sticking a spoon inside and handing it to Mary. Then she made Marshall's coffee and handed it over before shooing Erin over towards the couch. Frowning a little, she took a seat, and then watched as Eleanor made her coffee first, to perfection, and then her own. Going over to Erin's side, she sat heavily, curling up close to Erin as she turned her gaze to Marshall. "Tell me what brings you here," she said softly as her head came to rest on Erin's chest, and they both listened as he began his tale.


	12. Chapter 12

"And you're certain that you're okay with them coming back in a month?" Eleanor asked as they stepped into Erin's office the morning after the visit.

"Marshall seems like a really nice guy, and I think that Mary and I have come to an understanding when it regards everything. You were right, she is a formidable woman." Eleanor chuckled a little as she closed the door, prancing over to Erin's desk and taking a seat on her desk as she watched Erin hang up her coat. "Besides, you might be stubborn, but I have years of being an immovable object behind me. She won't be able to push me over that easily."

She leaned in and kissed Erin softly, and behind them, Erin heard the door open. Glancing up, she saw Penelope peek her head inside, looking a bit embarrassed to have caught them kissing. Lifting her hand, she beckoned Penelope inside before ending her kiss with Eleanor. "What…?"

"We have a visitor."

Eleanor nodded as she smoothed her hair a little, turning to look at Penelope. "Oh, hi, Penny."

"Hey, Eleanor. Um, I was wondering if I could convince you guys to come to lunch with me? There's something I need to talk about, and well I wanted to tell JJ and Alex first, I think that it might be better if I talk with you first. And I know, I'm babbling, but that's how I am. I'll even pay for us all, I just really want to spend some time with you."

Erin gave her a warm smile as she held out her hand, and Penelope stepped forward until she could clasp Erin's hand and though the grip was so tight, she knew that Penelope needed an anchor in that moment, even if she didn't know the reason why. "I will definitely be free around one, what about you, Ellie?"

"I can make one work for me, too. I might even be able to swing a long lunch, if need be."

Penelope gave them both a warm smile as she nodded, blinking back tears. Erin's first instinct was to call David up the moment Penelope left and ream him out for hurting her. And then, she looked a little closer and saw the tender, hopeful, air that hung around the woman, and knew that things were going to be all right, no matter what her news might be.

"I'll meet you in the lobby at one, then," she replied before squeezing Erin's hand once more and then scurrying from the office.

Erin and Eleanor shared a look before she ended up giggling and pulling Eleanor into a hug. "I love you," she murmured into her partner's ear and sighed happily to hear them returned. "Come and get me a little beforehand, yes?"

"Of course." They kissed once more before Eleanor left, and Erin tried to buckle down for the day and focus on the work she needed to get accomplished. It was slow going, but she did manage to make some headway before lunch.

A soft knocking on her door at five minutes to the hour had her looking up to see Eleanor, and she nodded as she signed off on one final report before pushing away from her desk and shrugging into her coat and slinging her purse over her shoulder. "I hope that you got a little more work done than I did this morning," she said as she slipped her arm through Eleanor's.

"Well, I don't know Penelope as well as you do, so it was easier for me to buckle down and focus. Though I am eager to know what her news is." Erin nodded as they stepped into the elevator, joining a few other people, and letting their conversation fall by the wayside. That suited her just fine, since she could content herself with just being in Eleanor's presence.

Once they reached the lobby level, Erin clasped Eleanor's hand lightly as they looked around for Penelope. Finally, she appeared, coming out of the bathroom, and Erin gave her a wide smile as she waved to her. Penelope nodded and hurried over to them, a trembling smile on her lips. "All right, I was thinking that we could head to this delicious little café just down the road? And it's a nice enough day where we could walk…"

"I'll drive, Penelope. That way we can have as much time as possible." Erin gave her a small smile as she gently guided her towards the car park. Eleanor walked on her other side, keeping up a small conversation with Penelope as they walked. It didn't take long to get to her car, and she rolled her eyes a little when Eleanor climbed in the back with Penelope. "If either one of you call me James, I will leave you at the café."

Penelope giggled and nodded as she buckled her belt, but Eleanor gave her an impish grin. "Would you really do that to the one you love, Erin?"

"Try me and see."

"I just might." Erin just shook her head as she started to drive, finding a good parking spot close to the door. There was only a fifteen minute wait, and they sat in the waiting area until their name was called, making small talk.

"I'm so glad that we've each found the person that makes us feel complete."

Erin looked up at Penelope with a start before glancing over at Eleanor. "Isn't that what love should do for us? Rather than trying to make someone complete us, yes?"

Eleanor nodded as she covered Erin's hand lightly, letting her thumb rub back and forth as she gazed at her. "That is the perfect description of love." The tender, open, look on her partner's face made her smile all the more, and she listened to the sweet sigh that slipped from Penelope's lips without rolling her eyes. "Now, what news do you have to tell us, dear?"

Penelope drew in a deep breath before slipping her hand off the table and resting it over her stomach. Taking another look, Erin could just make out a tiny rise there, and an excited gasp slipped from her lips. "Have you told him yet?"

She shook her head quickly, and Erin watched her tear up a little. Resting her head on Eleanor's shoulder, she waited for Penelope to speak. "I wasn't sure he'd want to hear the news, honestly. After all, he has Joy, and who wants to be a new parent at his age? I know that I love him, and that I will tell him, but…I just needed to tell someone else first. Does that even make sense?"

Eleanor nodded as she reached across the table to pat Penelope's other hand. "It does, Penny. You're in a vulnerable place, and torn between joy and worry. If I were to say, though, he'll be overjoyed. If you're happy, he'll take his cue from you, and be happy as well."

Erin was startled to hear her lover's voice thicken with unshed tears, and she glanced over to see the heartbreakingly sad cast to her face, feeling her own heart break a little for seeing it. "Ellie?"

"We were never blessed with children. It was probably the one desire of my heart that never really came true. Yes, your children have been so kind to me, Erin, but I'll never be their mother. That's your spot, as it should be. I shouldn't be jealous. But a part of me is." The first tear rolled down Eleanor's cheek, and Erin flicked it away softly before giving Eleanor a soft kiss.

"You two are seriously amazing together."

Erin glanced over at Penelope and smiled a little before taking a deep breath, focusing her energy at the younger woman. "I allowed the tender spot I was left in to open me up to this relationship. I suppose, in a way, I should thank you and David. So, that baby had better be named after one of us." Penelope giggled and nodded, the air of sadness finally lifting to reveal the true joy at her news. And Erin couldn't help but grin in return, knowing that they all deserved to have that in their lives.


	13. Chapter 13

Erin looked down at the ring box in her hand, taking a deep breath as she twirled it around between her fingers. They had been dating steadily for eight months by this point, and she knew that this was the right next step for them to take. She just didn't know how she was going to ask her. Penelope came into her office, one hand on her growing baby bump, glowing with happiness. "Did you get the ring yet?" she asked excitedly as she took a seat in the chair in front of Erin's desk. "Well?"

Nodding a little, she held out the box to her friend, sucking on her lower lip a little as she awaited Penelope's reaction. "I picked it up last night, and it was the hardest thing in the world to not just hand it to her with little fanfare. A part of me is worried that she'll say no, though. She's had the great love of her life already, what if she doesn't want this?"

"Erin Elizabeth Strauss, have you seen the way she looks at you? She is in love with you, and nothing you can say or do will affect that. And she is going to love this ring. It suits her perfectly." Penelope gave her a sunny smile as she handed the ring back. "Now, you have reservations at a fancy restaurant, yes?"

Erin nodded again, her smile growing a little. "I even called ahead to have them get a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne, should she say yes. Oh, god, I'm hoping she says yes." Taking a deep breath, she put the ring box back in her purse and looked back at Penelope. "Now, tell me how your pregnancy is going? You're four months along now?"

Penelope looked down at her stomach and nodded. "Close enough. Fifteen weeks today. Everything looks to be on track, and I couldn't be happier. And I know that you're trying to avoid thinking about tonight, but I'm going to assure you again that everything is going to be all right." She stood up and gave Erin a warm smile. "I really just had time to check in on you, and make certain your head was still in the right space. And I expect to have pictures from when she says yes!"

She let out a loud breath as she nodded. "I will try to remember to take pictures, Penny. Thank you."

"You are most welcome, Sweet Pea!" Winking at her, Penelope sashayed from the room and Erin couldn't help but chuckle as she bent back over her work. Soon, she had lost track of time, even working through her lunch in an effort to get out a little early to get ready for their meal. She wanted to look her best for her lover, even though she knew Eleanor loved her no matter what.

As she was driving home, her phone rang, and she pressed her Bluetooth to accept the call. "Hello?"

"Darling! What are you wearing tonight?"

She relaxed a little when she heard Eleanor's voice, and drew in a soft breath. "I was thinking about wearing my burgundy dress."

"Perfect, I have just the thing that will match that. I'll probably be in the guest bathroom getting ready, when you get home, since you'll need to get ready as well."

"Sounds good. See you soon, Ellie!"

"Of course," she replied before ending the call, leaving Erin to drive home with just her thoughts. After pulling into the garage, she bounded upstairs, not even taking time to kick off her sensible shoes before stepping into their bedroom. A wide smile curved her lips upwards when she saw that Eleanor had laid out her dress, along with shoes and jewelry.

It didn't take long for Erin to strip off her work clothes, hanging them up before moving into the bathroom and taking a long shower, paying extra attention to every detail from the moment the water hit her body until she was applying her lipstick and shimmying into a lacy lingerie set. Taking a look at herself in the mirror, she smiled, knowing that she was pleasing to Eleanor, even if she was softer than someone more conventionally pretty.

It didn't take long for her to finish dressing, and then she transferred the ring and her billfold over to a handbag that matched her outfit, placing her lipstick inside it as well. Standing, she took one more look at herself in the mirror before heading down to the living room. Eleanor was there already, and Erin felt her breath sucked from her lungs as she took in just how lovely her partner looked in that moment. "Are you ready to head out? Our reservation is in an hour."

"We probably should," she replied softly. "Are you driving?"

Eleanor nodded, and she smiled, knowing that it would have been hard for her to drive that evening, since she was so keyed up. "Hold my hand?" Erin didn't even nod as she clasped the slender hand in hers, threading their fingers together as they made their way out to the garage. Once they were underway, Erin found that she couldn't look at Eleanor, feeling like she would blurt out her question at any moment. A part of her wondered if that was how Alan had felt before he asked her to marry him, and a part of her hoped that the nerves were par for the course.

When they checked in with the host, they were led right back to the table Erin had requested, and Eleanor gave her a knowing smile as she took a seat. Hoping that she wasn't completely obvious, Erin perused the menu and placed her order the moment their server appeared, Eleanor following suit. "I don't think I've told you how much I love that dress on you. And not just because you have such a generous chest." Erin blushed as she cocked her head to one side, picking up her water and taking a long slow sip.

"I love that dress on you, too, but I'll like it better off." She hoped she sounded seductive, and the line had sounded so good in her head, but she was still a little uncertain of how it would come off. Eleanor coughed lightly before looking up at her through her eyelashes. The look there was pure desire, and Erin shifted in her chair a little as she tried not to think thoroughly carnal thoughts.

"I really don't want to end up being kicked out for indecent behavior, Erin," she came back with, a smoldering smile on her lips. "Because the things I want to do with you right now are not for public exhibition." She ran her fingers along her neckline, and Erin followed her fingers with her eyes, feeling the ghost of those touches on her own skin. "So, how about we focus on our food and save that for afterwards?"

Swallowing thickly, she nodded, giving the server a pained smile as he set their food down in front of them. He just gave her a small wink in return, before gesturing towards Eleanor with his head. She dipped her chin slightly in agreement, and he gave her a discreet nod before heading back into the kitchen. Slowly, she relaxed and focused on Eleanor, some of the anxiety drifting from her body the longer she watched her lover. "You know I love you, right?"

"As much as I love you," was the quick reply, and Eleanor picked up her hand, bringing it to her lips and kissing it softly. "That's why I wanted to be certain of your love for me before I asked…."

"No, Ellie, I get to ask this question. That's why I got us reservations here. Because I want you to be a part of my life forever," she said in a rush, picking up her purse and taking out the ring box, holding it out to Eleanor, who was also holding a similar sized box in her hand. "Did you know that this was my intention?"

"I figured as much when you went with such a nice dress. But even if you weren't going to ask tonight, I knew that it was entirely the right time to let you know that I want to be by your side forever." Eleanor opened the ring box to show off an elegant pillow cut diamond. Thankfully, the gem was about the same size as the one she had bought for Eleanor, and she set her box aside for a moment to let her partner slip the ring on her finger.

As she sighed lightly, Erin picked up her own box and opened it, revealing the ring that she'd chosen for Eleanor. Bright tears lit up Eleanor's eyes as she reached out her hand, allowing Erin to slide the ring home. She was so grateful that it actually fit, and when Eleanor pulled her hand back to look at the ring more closely, Erin surreptitiously pulled out her phone and took a few pictures, so that she could always keep that image with her.

And without her even gesturing to their server, he appeared a few moments later, a delicious cake in one hand, their bottle of champagne in the other. After setting the cake in the center of the table, he opened the bottle and poured them each a flute of drink. "Here's to taking our first step into the future," Eleanor said as she held up her flute. Erin gently touched her glass to Eleanor's, nodding before taking a long sip, hoping that their future remained as bright as it felt right then.


	14. Chapter 14

Erin found herself staring at her ring for the hundredth time that morning. Even though they had been engaged for four weeks, it still felt fresh and new. A part of her wondered if there would be a shoe drop at some point, if Eleanor would wake up and realise that she wasn't the person she wanted to be with for the rest of her life. Her heart was still surprisingly tender, and she vowed to work harder to heal her heart and make herself worthy of Eleanor's love and affection.

A soft knock at the door got her attention, and she looked up to see Penelope standing in the doorway. "What can I do for you, Penny?"

"Super late notice, I know, but Dave and I were wondering if you and Eleanor were free to come over for supper tonight."

Erin pulled out her phone and looked at their calendar. Neither of them had anything planned, and she gave Penelope a small smile. "I am going to tentatively say yes, since we have nothing planned for after work. Let me call Ellie, though." Penelope nodded as she stepped over to the chair in front of Erin's desk and took a seat, rubbing her stomach absently. It was a move Erin recognized well, and her smile widened as she picked up her handset and quickly dialed Eleanor's office number.

"Eleanor Prince."

"Ellie! I'm here with Penelope, and she wants to know if we want to have supper with her and David tonight. According to our planner, we're free, but I know that sometimes things creep up at the last moment."

"Nope, I was actually just getting ready to power down my computer and come get you. We can absolutely make that work. Do we need to bring anything?"

Erin put her hand over the receiver and looked at Penelope. "Ellie wants to know if we should bring anything."

"Not that I can think of, besides your smiling selves. We're going to head out now, before Cruz finds some reason to send Dave out on a case. See you soon!" Penelope got up and made her way to the door, pausing to look back and grin at Erin before she closed the door.

While Erin waited for Eleanor to join her, she saved her work and then powered down her computer. Pulling out her phone, she scrolled through the pictures of the dinner she and Eleanor had hosted for her children that weekend. It had gone so well, and they had been so happy for their engagement, which made Erin feel like things were really, finally, starting to move in the right direction. Even her ex-husband hadn't seemed to mind how large a part Eleanor was playing in her life, which surprised her, since he had never really warmed to David.

"Daydreaming again, Erin?"

She looked up to see Eleanor leaning against the door, a knowing smirk on her face. "No, just thinking about how incredibly happy I am. If you had asked me at this time last year if I could ever feel so much joy, I would have said no. But here we are, and I am so very blessed to have you in my life." Stretching out her arm, she looked expectantly at her lover, and was rewarded when Eleanor traipsed over to her, taking hold of her hand and bringing it up to her lips to press a tender kiss to her palm. "You've brought love back into my home."

"I am so glad that I have been able to awaken spring in your heart once more." They sighed in unison and Erin gently pulled her hand back so that she could get her purse out and then allowed Eleanor to help her into her coat before they threaded their arms together and walked out to the elevators.

The drive over didn't take very long, though she kept glancing over at Eleanor, watching her tap away on her phone. "What are you doing?"

"Emailing Marshall. He wanted to know how things were going. I, I want to invite him to the wedding, since I know that he'll come. But…"

"You want to invite Mary, too, and aren't certain if she'll come?" Eleanor nodded, and Erin slipped one hand off the wheel to squeeze her lover's hand gently. "Send her an invite, include Norah, and if she comes, she comes. You'll never know unless you put yourself out there. And you've taught me that while that's scary, the results can be well worth it."

She came to a stop at a red light, and giggled a little as Eleanor leaned over and kissed her cheek quickly. "You have learned very well, darling."

Erin nodded a little as she continued to drive on, soon pulling into the drive of David's house. The porch light was on, and she smiled as she parked, hopping out of the car and waiting for Eleanor to reach her side before they went up to the door together.

Before she could even knock, Penelope was throwing the door open and beckoning them inside. "I'm surprised you got here so quickly, we only just got home ourselves."

"Erin has a bit of a lead foot, and I think she just knows that fastest way to get places," Eleanor replied as they stepped inside. "Here, Erin, let me take your coat."

She smiled as she shrugged out of it, allowing Eleanor to hang it up on the tree as she slipped out of her shoes. Penelope stepped forward and hugged them both tightly before taking their hands and leading them into the living room. There wasn't too much different about the place, though she could find small elements of Penelope scattered about. David was standing by his bar, pouring something into four glasses, and she relaxed a little when she noticed that it was sparkling grape juice, in clear deference to her past issue.

"Bella! I'm so glad that you could make it," he said as he brought a glass over to her, hugging her tightly before kissing her cheek. "I swear, you and Eleanor look more in love every time I see you."

She blushed a little as she accepted the glass, sipping at the drink as she watched him hug and kiss Eleanor as well. "I managed to have something very right fall into my lap, David." She slung her arm around Eleanor's waist and looked at the pair, wondering what the invitation was all about. "So, why was it so important we come over tonight?"

Penelope cleared her throat before sipping at her glass. "Well, we have something to ask of you. Something important." Her hand spread out over her baby bump, and Erin pursed her lips together, knowing that it was something very important indeed. As she tightened her grip around Eleanor's waist, Erin blinked rapidly, trying to control her tears. "Jayje thought that Reid and I would be the best example for her children as they grew, and I can only hope that we have been a good influence on them. And well, when I was thinking about it, nothing seemed more perfect than asking you two to be our little bean's godmothers."

Eleanor drew in a shaky breath as she rested her head on Erin's shoulder. "Are, are you certain?" she asked, tears making her voice sound thick and phlegmy.

"Yes, Eleanor. We are both certain of this decision." David's words opened up her tear ducts, and Erin let them flow as she nodded a little. "Ladies, this is a happy event, there's no need to cry."

"I guess that this has just overwhelmed us both. We weren't even considering this possibility, in all honesty, especially after the way I treated you. Thank you, both of you."

Penelope squealed a little as she stepped forward and hugged them tightly. "No, we should be thanking you! Oh, my heart, you guys have made me so happy!" She kissed their cheeks soundly before guiding them into the dining room. Erin's heart felt full to bursting, and she only hoped this feeling of contentment continued on for the rest of her life.


	15. Chapter 15

The day had finally arrived. Erin looked at her reflection in the mirror, trying not to allow the butterflies in her stomach to overwhelm her. While Eleanor had agreed with her opinion that a small wedding ceremony at the courthouse would be just fine, when Penelope had heard that, she had vehemently disagreed. And so, knowing that it was useless to fight against their friend when she had a plan in her mind, Erin and Eleanor had allowed her to plan a small church ceremony, inviting all their family and friends.

The sound of the door opening had her whirling around, and she relaxed a little when Marshall came into the room. From the look on his face, he appeared much happier than he had during his previous visit, which set her at ease. "Erin, how are you feeling?"

"Nervous. Wondering if Eleanor is going to be at the front of the church when I come down the aisle. Hoping that she'll still love me fifteen, twenty, years from now. Hoping that I'm good enough for her. And I know that I'm letting my emotions run out of control, but I can't seem to get them under control. Please, tell me that Mary came with you?"

He smiled as he took a seat next to her, reaching out for her hand. "I'm glad that you recognize those emotions aren't real, because I know that Eleanor is a pretty good judge of character and wouldn't have agreed to marry you if she didn't trust your intentions and your heart." Reaching out, he covered her hand with his, squeezing gently. "And yes, Mary and Norah came with me. They're walking around outside, since Norah has a little pent up energy to work out."

"Ah. So, why did you come to check on me?"

He chuckled as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a fine linen handkerchief. "I don't know if you had a something old, and I thought that I'd share this with you and Eleanor. She has the matching one."

Erin took it from his hands and ran her thumb along the fine embroidery work. "This is gorgeous. Thank you."

"They're my grandmother's. She made them for her wedding trousseau, and they've been passed down to the women in my mother's family. She had all boys, and it doesn't look like my brothers will be having girls anytime soon. So, I took three, two for you, one for Norah."

She nodded and tucked the delicate handkerchief into her suit pocket before giving him a short hug. "This is such a lovely gesture. Thank you."

He nodded and helped her to her feet. "And I think it's almost time for you to start down the aisle, yes?"

She glanced at the clock on the wall. "Just about. You should probably get Mary and Norah. Thank you, again, for coming."

"It was our pleasure." He hugged her quickly before scooting out of the room and she was once more left to her own devices. Turning, she looked at the mirror that someone in the church had kindly provided for her, smoothing down her skirt before fluffing out her hair, trying to look perfect for her Eleanor.

A soft knock came at the door before it opened once more, and she saw her oldest daughter come in the door, a wide grin on her face. "Mama, I brought your bouquet. Eleanor said that she had to add one last touch for you." Karen held out the bouquet and Erin took it from her hand, looking at it carefully. There, laced in between the blooms, was a silver chain with a heart pendant. Clearly, this was to be her something new, and she pursed her lips to keep from crying as she picked it out and then handed it to Karen.

"Please, put this on me." Her daughter nodded and affixed it around her neck before wrapping her in a warm hug. "Are Bruce and Tabitha seated already?"

"Yeah, right in the front, next to Dave and Penelope. Are you ready?"

Erin fingered her new pendant and nodded. "I really am. I think I might have been waiting for this moment for all my life and never even realized it. What's that song you like? About following your arrow? Well, you have to. You have to do what makes you feel complete, and Ellie, she makes me feel complete. Tender, yes, but that's okay to be, when it's with the right person."

She cupped her daughter's cheek, letting her thumb rub back and forth before drawing in a deep breath and straightening her shoulders. "You look beautiful, Mama. And so does Eleanor. I think, maybe, that's what love does to you, right? Makes you more lovely."

Erin nodded as they walked out of the room. As they started down the hall, she looked up to see Eleanor coming up the stairs, a radiant smile on her face, and in that moment, Erin felt herself fall in love all over again, the tender yearning filling her soul as she quickened her pace a little. "Ellie…"

"I'd rather we walk down the aisle together, when all is said and done. We're grown women who don't need to be given away, right?" Erin nodded. "Then let's enter our married life on the same playing field. Okay?"

"Okay." They shared a soft smile as Karen broke away and made her way into the sanctuary of the church, heading up the aisle to sit next to her siblings. As they stopped at the entrance to the sanctuary, the organist began to play the song that Erin had chosen for their short walk, and Eleanor sighed to hear "Love Me Tender". "I chose well, then."

"You chose very well," she murmured as they started down the aisle. As they went, in time to the music, all Erin seemed able to focus on was the fact that Eleanor was on her arm, and that they were making this love of theirs official.

Finally, they were in front of the minister, and she gave them a small nod as they stopped, still holding hands. "Dearly beloved, we are here to witness the marriage of Erin Strauss and Eleanor Prince. They have found each other after a season of loss and longing, and the love that they display is so great." Erin soon tuned out of the words, focusing on Eleanor and the way that she smiled at her as their minister spoke.

Finally, it came time for the vows, and Erin made certain to say the right words when prompted. And then, Eleanor was repeating those words, and the second ring was slid home on her finger. As the minister introduced them as a couple, Erin clasped Eleanor's hand tightly, giving her a chaste kiss before they started down the aisle to Beethoven's "Ode to Joy".

Once they'd reached the back of the church, she hugged Eleanor tightly, burying her face into the crook of her neck as the well of emotions finally overflowed. "Oh, my beautiful wife, there's no need to cry now. We're going to be together from here on out."

"I know, I know. But there's so much love in my heart and it just seems to be too much. Too much and not enough. I love you."

"I love you, too," Eleanor said before kissing her once more, softly, tenderly, and Erin knew that this love was hers for eternity.


	16. Chapter 16

From the moment Erin stepped off the plane in Scotland, she felt like she was home. And from the tiny sigh that slipped from Eleanor's lips, she knew that her wife felt the same way. "All right, we're picking up the rental car here?"

"Yes. I have the reservations in the folder." Eleanor nodded and pulled it out of her purse, finding the right paper as Erin sent a quick text to Penelope and Marshall, telling them that they had arrived safely and were just waiting for their luggage before setting off on their adventure. "So, if you want to go take care of that, I'll wait for our bags."

"Sounds good, darling." Eleanor pressed a quick kiss to her cheek before pushing her towards baggage claim. She stood around with a few others from their flight, and watched as they found their suitcases. Finally, she spotted the pink scarves that Eleanor had tied around the handles of their cases and she sighed a little with relief as she waited for them to come around to her.

Thankfully, they had both packed lightly, and she was able to get them off the conveyer belt with little effort. Eleanor came over to her side, holding up a set of keys and grinning. "What kind of car do we have for our vacation?"

"A Land Rover! Though I do hope you know how to drive a manual, since there were no automatics available. I mean, I could drive us, but it's been a while since it was a manual, and I might flood the clutch the first few times."

The way that Eleanor stumbled over her words was completely endearing to Erin, and she chuckled a little as she took hold of the keys. "I will drive us, no problem. Take the bags."

"Yes, darling." They shared a serious look, but Erin couldn't hold it for very long before she started to truly laugh, Eleanor soon joining in as they walked out of the airport, following the signs to find the correct car park and then found their car. It was a beautiful green, and Erin grinned as she took a few pictures of it and Eleanor. "Are you going to take pictures of me all the time?"

"Maybe. I tend to take a lot of pictures when I'm on vacation, especially of the beautiful things I see. And my view right now is so lovely." Eleanor blushed a little as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, shaking her head as she finished loading the bags in the back. "All right, our first destination is Peebles, which about forty-five minutes south of here. I booked us the most adorable little bed and breakfast for our first night."

"Sounds lovely, Erin," Eleanor replied as she climbed into the car. "It is also going to take me a minute to get used to sitting on a different side of the car."

"We'll manage, somehow!" Erin winked at her wife before starting the car and pulling out into traffic, allowing Siri to navigate them. As they drove, Erin made certain to stop for every single photography spot, wanting to document every moment that passed. Eleanor was very patient with her, which was lovely, and they stopped for lunch at the Horseshoe Inn.

"This is such a cute place," Eleanor said as they were seated by a window. Erin nodded as she perused the menu, easily deciding on what she wanted to try. After they'd placed their order, Erin relaxed in her chair, staring out at the lush countryside. When Penelope had suggested this for their honeymoon, she hadn't been too certain, but Eleanor had jumped at the idea, cementing it in her heart that this was the right decision. "Erin?"

"Hmm?" She looked up and saw that her wife was holding up her camera, and she gave her a smile as she took a few pictures. "I am going to love being here."

"Me, too." She set aside the camera before resting her chin in her hand and staring at Erin. It was so easy to follow suit, and a gentle sense of peace settling over her heart. "What are our plans for tomorrow?"

"I was thinking that we could sleep in a little and then explore Peebles. Somehow, I think we're going to be extremely tired, since I don't do jetlag well." As she finished speaking, a large yawn split her lips, and Eleanor giggled as she nodded. "See?"

"I do. So I get to laze around in bed with you in the morning. Perfect." The knowing smile that crept over Eleanor's face had Erin squirming in her seat a little as she nodded. The rest of their meal passed in silence, but it was a good silence, punctuated by long looks and soft sighs. As Erin settled the bill, Eleanor stood up and headed outside, walking over to their car and resting against it as she took a few more pictures of the restaurant.

"All right, ready to head out?" Erin asked as she came over to Eleanor's side, resting next to her and trying to keep from yawning again.

"Yes." Eleanor turned her head and kissed her, letting her hand cradle the back of Erin's neck as the kiss lingered on. "I love you, darling."

A pleased sigh slipped from her lips as she nodded. "My heart is so full, Ellie. So full." They kissed once more before Erin went around to sit behind the wheel, starting the vehicle and letting it idle as she opened her map app once more, plugging in the address for their hotel. She was relieved to see that it wouldn't take too much longer to arrive, as she was really starting to feel the exhaustion of the long flight. "Talk to me, keep me awake, Ellie."

"Of course, darling." For the rest of the drive, Eleanor regaled her with stories of her childhood, telling her things that Erin had never heard about before. It was so lovely to hear about the things that had influenced her wife as she had grown up, and by the time she pulled into the car park for the hotel, she felt ever closer to Eleanor. "And here we are."

"Yes." Erin leaned over and pecked her cheek before getting out of the car and heading around to the back, opening the door and shouldering her carryon. "Let's head inside."

Eleanor took hold of her hand and together, they made their way inside. It was easy to find the check-in desk, and Erin pulled out her confirmation information, talking lowly with the woman there as her grip on Eleanor's hand tightened a little. "Ah, yes, Penelope Garcia called a few days ago to confirm your reservation. We have you in the master suite, here is your key." Erin nodded dazedly as she handed over her credit card to pay. "Oh, no, that's been taken care of already as well. Have a lovely honeymoon."

She felt her eyes widen a little at that news, knowing that David and Penelope had given them an incredible gift. Eleanor squeezed a steady rhythm, letting her know that she, too, understood the significance of what the clerk had just said. "Thank you, so much," she managed to choke out as she looked at her key.

"Of course. Would you like some help to your room?"

Eleanor nodded, and the woman came out from behind the bar and took a look at them. "Is that all you have?"

"Oh, no, we left the rest of the luggage in the car."

"I'll have Peter bring it in. Did you lock the vehicle?"

Eleanor shook her head. "No, because I planned on getting the bags while Erin got situated."

"Perfect." And from the way that they had been treated so far, Erin knew that their honeymoon would be exactly that. Perfect.


	17. Chapter 17

Erin smoothed the skirt of her dress as she looked over at Eleanor. Her wife was holding Giovanni Aaron Rossi, cooing to him softly as she rocked back and forth on her feet, a contented smile on her lips. Ever since his birth, they had been looking after him when Penelope needed to work long hours, and David was out in the field, and Erin had watched her wife grow in happiness with each moment. A small part of Erin knew that this is what she would have been like as a mother, and her heart ached for that lost experience.

"She's a natural with him, Erin."

She looked up into David's face and nodded. "I just wish we were both young enough to try having a family. I would do that for her in a heartbeat. But some things are never meant to be." Erin gave him a sad smile and stepped close to him as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "So, I suppose it will be up to you and Penelope to have at least one more child, so that she can have the honor of taking care of them, as well."

"I'm certain Penelope will love to hear that," he replied drolly before dropping a kiss to the top of her head. "If you and Eleanor want to take a seat in the sanctuary, I'm going to see if Aaron and the rest of the team have arrived."

"Of course." Stepping away from him, she went to her wife and rested her chin on her shoulder. "How is our little Gio?" she asked fondly, letting her arm snake around to tickle his stomach a little, watching him smile and wave his hands about.

"He was quieting down until you riled him up again, Erin! I swear," she began as she shook her head, "you are so incorrigible."

"But you love me anyway."

"With all my heart." Eleanor turned her head a little so that she could press a quick kiss to Erin's cheek. "Where's Penelope?"

"Right here! I just had to wash my hands," the woman in question said as she joined them. "I think Dave wants us to sit in the back pew, since I can take Gio out quicker if he gets fussy. Though since he's being held by Auntie Eleanor, I don't think that will be the case."

Eleanor blushed and shrugged a little as they made their way into the sanctuary. "I just spoil him a little too much, I guess."

"Don't be silly! You're perfect with him, and we couldn't ask for better godparents. Truly." Penelope smiled broadly at them both as she slid into the pew, and Eleanor followed after, Erin taking up the rear. She noticed that Penelope had left room on the other side of her for David, and she relaxed a little as she took a seat. Giovanni stirred a little before yawning widely and snuggling against Eleanor's chest as he closed his eyes. "And maybe he'll sleep through the whole service. That would be a blessing."

Erin nodded in agreement, only to start when she felt a large hand touch her shoulder. Looking back, she drew in a sharp breath to see Derek standing there, a hesitant smile on his lips. She smiled back, not really certain of how to react, seeing as how she hadn't really had any interaction with the rest of Alpha team since her return to the FBI. "It is really nice to see you, Ma'am. Baby Girl showed me pictures from your wedding, and you look truly happy. I, I'm really glad to see that."

Erin swallowed thickly as she nodded, scooting closer to Eleanor. "Thank you," she whispered as he took a seat, a pretty woman taking a seat next to him. "And who's this?"

"This is my wife, Savannah." They shook hands, and Erin let out a soft sound of happiness when she saw the others enter, each looking happy and pleased to be there and to see her there. Eleanor elbowed her knowingly, and she looked at her wife, giving her a sheepish smile.

"See? There was nothing to be nervous about." Eleanor kissed her cheek softly. "Now, when this is over, you're going to have to introduce me to everyone else. I want to put faces to the names you've told me about." She nodded and scooted even closer to Eleanor, leeching some of her body heat.

The service went surprisingly quickly, and once it was over, they all made their way to the front. Eleanor reluctantly gave a still sleeping Giovanni over to Penelope before stepping back into the comfort of Erin's embrace. "He's kinda hard to let go of, isn't he?" she murmured in her wife's ear, and Eleanor nodded before resting her head on Erin's shoulder.

"I'm trying not to get too attached, but I think he's wrapped me around his little finger."

"Babies are good at that," JJ said as she gave them a small smile. "I'm JJ, and this is my husband, Will. You must be Eleanor Strauss."

"Prince, actually. We decided to keep my name." Eleanor reached out and shook JJ's hand firmly before looking towards Erin. "We're both a bit stubborn, but this is one thing we agreed on."

It looked like JJ was going to say something more when the priest came up to them, starting the christening ceremony. Where appropriate, she and Eleanor answered his questions, and then Giovanni was getting sprinkled with water, which barely woke him up. "He already takes after Papa," Penelope quipped, and Erin giggled as she nodded.

After the christening was complete, they all milled around the front of the sanctuary, talking quietly. And then, David looked at her, giving her a knowing smirk. "All right, guys, we need to head out to _Firenze_ for our reservation. There will be plenty of time to play pass the baby once we get there." Slinging his arm around Penelope's waist, he guided her out of the church, and Erin and Eleanor quickly followed in their wake.

The sun shone brightly down on them, and Erin let out a pleased sigh as she grabbed hold of her wife's hand and walked over to their car. "This has been a wonderful day so far, hasn't it."

"Yes, darling." Erin got in the passenger seat of the car, watching Eleanor closely as she drove to the restaurant. "Your former coworkers are so nice. I think that I'd like to get to know Derek a little better."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Erin yawned a little and stretched in her seat before looking at her wife once more. "I told you that he was the one who took me to rehab, right?"

"I don't think that I heard that story, no. Would you care to tell me?"

She nodded and reached across the car to touch Eleanor's arm, needing to feel her, to connect with her, before she launched into this particular story. "So, I had been through rehab once before, letting Aaron do both my job and his while I tried to get control of that demon. It didn't work, in fact, it just seemed to exacerbate the issue. So, it came as no surprise that Derek would be the one to figure out that there was something seriously wrong, since I held me under intense scrutiny. There was a case in Florida, I had to go, and it cut a little too close to home. He must have told Aaron what was happening, since when we returned home, I was told that I was being taken to rehab."

"And how did you handle that?"

"Not gracefully, that's for certain. I slapped Derek. It was one of the deepest betrayals, I thought at that time. It was only when I came out on the other side that I saw it for the gift it was. He saved me, and thank you is never going to be enough to say to him." She drew in a shaky breath. "So, I guess now you know."

"I guess I do. And I'm glad to know it. Because it helps me to know another facet of you. I love that you're still allowing yourself to be tender with me, and I can only hope that this lasts for the rest of our lives. Because your tenderness allowed this love to grow between us, and I was able to find love again. And I can't wait to share this for the rest of our lives." Erin nodded as she blinked back tears, her heart overflowing with a deep and abiding tenderness for her wife, a tenderness that she knew would last for the ages.


End file.
